How Do I Ship Overseas? Please Help!!!!

merrydish · Nov 26th, 2007, 05:12 PM

Please, can somebody tell me how to ship a package overseas using the U.S. Postal Service? I need to send one to Japan and another to England. Problem is, I don't know what forms to fill out or what to do. Sigh. Hope I'm not sorry I got myself into this!

rbaby · Nov 26th, 2007, 07:32 PM

You need to use priority mail international or express mail international from the US post office. These are the only services that offers delivery confirmation and insurance. You also need to fill out a customs form. Be sure to indicate the correct value, otherwise you will not be covered if anything happens. I hope this helps, good luck!

merrydish · Nov 26th, 2007, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbaby

You need to use priority mail international or express mail international from the US post office. These are the only services that offers delivery confirmation and insurance. You also need to fill out a customs form. Be sure to indicate the correct value, otherwise you will not be covered if anything happens. I hope this helps, good luck!

Yes, many thanks!!!

LV-PRADAfanatic · Nov 26th, 2007, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by merrydish

Please, can somebody tell me how to ship a package overseas using the U.S. Postal Service? I need to send one to Japan and another to England. Problem is, I don't know what forms to fill out or what to do. Sigh. Hope I'm not sorry I got myself into this!

Normally i woudl just go ot post office and the ppl there for the best price and options..

mmmsc · Nov 26th, 2007, 08:25 PM

I have been told that the only way you can track international mail is with USPS Express Mail (NOT with priority mail, which has no tracking system for international). Express Mail is expensive but worth it if anything happens. You can insure the package for its actual value and mark as a "gift" if you want to save the buyer customs fees, which can be lots on an expensive bag.. I don't know if this is kosher (you do not put a receipt or anything like that in the pkg, mail that separately), but this is how someone told me to do it. I have sent to Poland, Canada, Switzerland, etc. with no problems (SO FAR!!) International shipping can be a pain and a lot of sellers just won't do it .But use Express because of the receipt and tracking. If you declare the true insured value of the bag (not marked as gift), the customs duty will be the buyer's problem..but tell them up front they will liable for custom fees if you do that. If you don't insure it, they can always say it never got there and then you are out your $$. The burden for insurance is on the seller, right? Correct me on any of this????

merrydish · Nov 26th, 2007, 11:25 PM

That's really helpful! Much appreciated!!!

redney · Nov 26th, 2007, 11:39 PM

I would recommend you search this sub-forum on members' experiences/views with putting lower values on customs forms. I understand in some countries (including the US), it is illegal to lie on a customs form and while many people do it/have done it, it would suck to get caught, KWIM?

Also, you can only insure the package for the amount stated on the customs form and if the package gets lost or doesn't get to the buyer, you as the seller are only insured for the stated value, while the buyer can file a claim and get all of their money back, even if it's more than what you got back from insurance.

Just be aware about it and the possible consequences.

LouiseyPeasey · Nov 27th, 2007, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmmsc

You can insure the package for its actual value and mark as a "gift" if you want to save the buyer customs fees, which can be lots on an expensive bag.

Most countries have a dollar limit for gifts - for the US it's $100, for Canada I think it's something like $65. It's pretty low. Marking anything above that value as a gift is not going to save the buyer anything at all, and may even cause customs to give it a closer look than they would otherwise. It's just not worth it. In many cases, the allowance for purchasing merchandise via mail order is much higher than the allowance for gifts in any case.

lorihmatthews · Nov 27th, 2007, 12:17 AM

ITA with mmsc, from what I understand the ONLY way to get tracking from the US to another country is to use global priority express, NOT global priority. You'll need to fill out a customs form in addition to the mailing label for each package. Other than that, it's just like mailing any other package.

I'm actually shipping a package to the Netherlands tomorrow, so you're not alone!

mmmsc · Nov 27th, 2007, 12:26 AM

Yikes I am glad to hear all this!

So you recommend declaring and insuring for full value, and then letting the foreign buyer deal with custom fees?? I do know USPS Express is the only way to send with proper tracking #. At least that is what they told me at the post office.

4theluvof-it · Nov 27th, 2007, 12:30 AM

^^^If you print your labels at www.usps.com you will pay and fill out the necessary forms online and print them all out on your computer. Just take the pages to the post office and they will put them in the "plastic sleeve" and attach it to the package and you are done. Nice and painless!

merrydish · Nov 27th, 2007, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4theluvof-it

^^^If you print your labels at www.usps.com you will pay and fill out the necessary forms online and print them all out on your computer. Just take the pages to the post office and they will put them in the "plastic sleeve" and attach it to the package and you are done. Nice and painless!

Wow, I like this one if you are telling me I can fill in and print out those customs forms online and then print them out. After I do this the first time, I'll probably stop worrying. Hopefully!

weekender2 · Nov 27th, 2007, 07:24 AM

yes I would declare full value and insure for full value on the customs form. You need to be able to get the full value of the item back should anything go awry. I always put in my auctions customs is responsibility of buyer. good luck.

spacytracy · Nov 27th, 2007, 05:54 PM

I just sent a pair of uggs from the US to canada with global priority done online and I was able to make sure it was delivered, they do have DC for priority but if you want a moment by moment tracking it does have to go express.

Also if you do it online, you save a couple bucks literally. You get a discounted rate compared to if you walked it into the PO.

Shopstomuch · Nov 27th, 2007, 05:59 PM

I never mark something as a gift as that constitutes mail fraud is what the postmaster told me. I think most of them you may have to go to the post office to fill out too... I know Canada you can do online, not sure about others. You can check on the USPS website and they have instructions and some of the forms you need to fill out are on there as well.

Nov 26th, 2007, 05:12 PM	#1
merrydish Member	How Do I Ship Overseas? Please Help!!!! Please, can somebody tell me how to ship a package overseas using the U.S. Postal Service? I need to send one to Japan and another to England. Problem is, I don't know what forms to fill out or what to do. Sigh. Hope I'm not sorry I got myself into this!

Nov 26th, 2007, 07:32 PM	#2
rbaby Insufficient Funds Location: Asking for a credit increase	Re: How Do I Ship Overseas? Please Help!!!! You need to use priority mail international or express mail international from the US post office. These are the only services that offers delivery confirmation and insurance. You also need to fill out a customs form. Be sure to indicate the correct value, otherwise you will not be covered if anything happens. I hope this helps, good luck!

Nov 26th, 2007, 08:25 PM	#5
mmmsc Delta Dog Location: Mississippi USA	Re: How Do I Ship Overseas? Please Help!!!! I have been told that the only way you can track international mail is with USPS Express Mail (NOT with priority mail, which has no tracking system for international). Express Mail is expensive but worth it if anything happens. You can insure the package for its actual value and mark as a "gift" if you want to save the buyer customs fees, which can be lots on an expensive bag.. I don't know if this is kosher (you do not put a receipt or anything like that in the pkg, mail that separately), but this is how someone told me to do it. I have sent to Poland, Canada, Switzerland, etc. with no problems (SO FAR!!) International shipping can be a pain and a lot of sellers just won't do it .But use Express because of the receipt and tracking. If you declare the true insured value of the bag (not marked as gift), the customs duty will be the buyer's problem..but tell them up front they will liable for custom fees if you do that. If you don't insure it, they can always say it never got there and then you are out your $$. The burden for insurance is on the seller, right? Correct me on any of this????

Nov 26th, 2007, 11:25 PM	#6
merrydish Member	Re: How Do I Ship Overseas? Please Help!!!! That's really helpful! Much appreciated!!!

Nov 26th, 2007, 11:39 PM	#7
redney Lovin' Life!	Re: How Do I Ship Overseas? Please Help!!!! I would recommend you search this sub-forum on members' experiences/views with putting lower values on customs forms. I understand in some countries (including the US), it is illegal to lie on a customs form and while many people do it/have done it, it would suck to get caught, KWIM? Also, you can only insure the package for the amount stated on the customs form and if the package gets lost or doesn't get to the buyer, you as the seller are only insured for the stated value, while the buyer can file a claim and get all of their money back, even if it's more than what you got back from insurance. Just be aware about it and the possible consequences.

Nov 27th, 2007, 12:17 AM	#9
lorihmatthews Persian Love Location: San Francisco	Re: How Do I Ship Overseas? Please Help!!!! ITA with mmsc, from what I understand the ONLY way to get tracking from the US to another country is to use global priority express, NOT global priority. You'll need to fill out a customs form in addition to the mailing label for each package. Other than that, it's just like mailing any other package. I'm actually shipping a package to the Netherlands tomorrow, so you're not alone!

Nov 27th, 2007, 12:26 AM	#10
mmmsc Delta Dog Location: Mississippi USA	Re: How Do I Ship Overseas? Please Help!!!! Yikes I am glad to hear all this! So you recommend declaring and insuring for full value, and then letting the foreign buyer deal with custom fees?? I do know USPS Express is the only way to send with proper tracking #. At least that is what they told me at the post office.

Nov 27th, 2007, 12:30 AM	#11
4theluvof-it Member	Re: How Do I Ship Overseas? Please Help!!!! ^^^If you print your labels at www.usps.com you will pay and fill out the necessary forms online and print them all out on your computer. Just take the pages to the post office and they will put them in the "plastic sleeve" and attach it to the package and you are done. Nice and painless!

Nov 27th, 2007, 07:24 AM	#13
weekender2 Black Box Please...	Re: How Do I Ship Overseas? Please Help!!!! yes I would declare full value and insure for full value on the customs form. You need to be able to get the full value of the item back should anything go awry. I always put in my auctions customs is responsibility of buyer. good luck.

Nov 27th, 2007, 05:54 PM	#14
spacytracy Sofa King Hot ♥ Location: where it's HOT!!	Re: How Do I Ship Overseas? Please Help!!!! I just sent a pair of uggs from the US to canada with global priority done online and I was able to make sure it was delivered, they do have DC for priority but if you want a moment by moment tracking it does have to go express. Also if you do it online, you save a couple bucks literally. You get a discounted rate compared to if you walked it into the PO. __________________ I'm going to Hawaii in December!!

Nov 27th, 2007, 05:59 PM	#15
Shopstomuch Member Location: Athens, GA	Re: How Do I Ship Overseas? Please Help!!!! I never mark something as a gift as that constitutes mail fraud is what the postmaster told me. I think most of them you may have to go to the post office to fill out too... I know Canada you can do online, not sure about others. You can check on the USPS website and they have instructions and some of the forms you need to fill out are on there as well. __________________ Someone ban me cause I can't ban myself!